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BULLETIN 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  TEXAS  "ZA^^c 


No.  373 


EXTENSION  SERIES  NO.  66 


NOVEMBER  25,  1914 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  INFANT 
FEEDING 


BY 


ANNA  ^.  RICHARDSON 


/         OBTHS 


■•-.  c 


^r 


Published  by  the  University  six  times  a  month  and  entered  as 
second-class  matter  at  the  postoffice  at 
AUSTIN,  TEXAS 


RT: 


6 


UBRAPY 


MOLOGI 
UBMAirY 

EXCHANGE 


The  benefits  of  education  and  of 
useful  knowledge,  generally  diffused 
through  a  community,  are  essential 
to  the  preservation  of  a  free  gov- 
ernment. 

Sam  Houston. 


Cultivated  mind  is  the  guardian 
genius  of  democracy.  ...  It  is  the 
only  dictator  that  freemen  acknowl- 
edge and  the  only  security  that  free- 
men desire. 

Mirabean  B.   iLamAr. 


Suggestions  for  Infant  Feeding 


Nature's  food,  mother's  milk,  is,  of  course,  the  best  food  for 
the  child,  but  owing  to  illness  or  inability  to  nurse  their  chil- 
dren, thousands  of  mothers  must  each  year  feed  their  infants 
artificially. 

To  feed  successfully  an  infant  is  no  simple  task.  It  is  estimated 
that  about  50  per  cent  of  all  artificially  fed  children  die.  Each 
child  is  a  law  unto  itself,  and  there  can  be  no  hard  and  fast  rules 
laid  down.  The  suggestions  offered  are  for  the  average  normal 
child,  and  will  not  fit  every  case.  In  the  case  of  abnormal  or 
sick  children,  the  advice  of  a  competent  physician  should  be 
sought  and  followed,  and  a  special  diet  will  doubtless  be  pre- 
scribed to  fit  the  individual  need. 

Nature  has  pointed  the  way  to  the  best  food  for  the  child. 
Accepting  her  guidance,  when  human  nourishment  is  impossible, 
we  use  the  milk  of  some  animal,  and  modify  it  to  approximate 
the  composition  of  mother's  milk.  The  milk  of  various  animals 
has  been  used,  the  goat,  mare,  and  cow.  Because  of  its  con- 
venience and  its  general  use,  cow's  milk  is  most  commonly  used 
for  infant  feeding. 

COMPOSITION  OP  MILK 

Mother 's  milk  contains  all  the  elements  necessary  to  the  normal 
development  of  the  child,  and  in  just  the  proportion  in  which 
the  child  can  best  utilize  them.  It  contains  protein,  the  food 
principally  needed  to  build  the  body  tissue  so  that  the  little  one 
will  steadily  grow  and  gain  in  size.  Carbohydrates  and  fats  are 
the  energy  foods  which  supply  the  infant  with  the  needed  energy 
to  kick  and  scream  and  to  develop  normally.  The  minerals  pres- 
ent in  the  milk  serve  to  develop  the  bony  structure  and  to  supply 
the  needed  minerals  to  every  part  of  the  body.  Water  is  needed 
for  all  body  fluids.  An  artificial  food  then,  to  be  a  good  substi- 
tute for  mother's  milk,  must  contain  these  five  food  principals; 
and  they  must  not  only  be  present,  but  if  the  child  is  to  develop 


M261430 


4       '  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

riormally  they  must  be  present  in  approximately  the  same  pro- 
portion that  they  are  found  in  mother's  milk. 


Protein. 

Cow's  milk 3.5 

Mother's  milk    .  .     1.5 


Fat.  Carbohydrate.  Ash.        Water. 
4.0  4.5  0.75  87.25 

3.5  7.0  0.2  87.80 


By  comparing  the  compositions  of  these  two  we  find  that 
mother's  milk  contains  less  protein  and  ash  but  more  fat  and 
carbohydrate  than  the  cow's  milk,  so  that  for  an  infant  straight 
cow's  milk  is  not  a  suitable  food.. 


MODIFIED   MILK. 

The  problem,  then,  is  to  modify  this  cow 's  milk  so  that  it  will 
take  the  place  of  mother's  milk  and  will  furnish  a  food  on  which 
the  baby  will  thrive,  and  grow  in  strength  and  weight. 

Amount  to  Feed. — The  quantity  of  food  a  child  should  take  is 
also  a  most  important  element  of  successful  feeding,  for  there 
are  many  cases  of  children  who  suffer  either  from  under  or  ex- 
cess feeding.  The  child's  stomach  at  birth  is  a  small  bag,  and 
cannot  hold  large  amounts  at  a  time. 


^iZJ 


Relative  sizes  of  an  eight-ounce  bottle  and  an  infant's 
stomach  at  birth. 

The  size  of  the  infant's  stomach  is  a  guide  as  to  the  amount 
of  food  to  be  given  at  each  feeding.  The  total  quantity  which 
the  child  should  have  in  a  day  has  been  estimated  from  the 
amount  consumed  by  a  great  many  normal,  breast  fed  infants. 

The  following  table  gives  the  number  of  feedings  per  day  and 
the  amount  of  each  feeding: 


Suggestions  for  Infant  Feeding 


Intervals  Be- 
tween Meals 
Age.  by  Day. 

2-7  days   2      hours 


2-3  weeks  . . . 
4-5  weeks  . . . 
6-9  weeks  . . . 
9  wks.-5  mon 
5-9  months  .. 
9-12  months 


2  hours 
21/2  hours 
21^  hours 

3  hours 

3  hours 

4  hours 


Night     Quantity  for  Quantity  for 
Feedings.  One  Feeding.  24  Hours. 


(oz.) 

(oz.) 

1-11/2 

10-15 

11/2-3 

15-30 

21/2-4 

20-32 

3-5 

24-40 

4-6 

28-42 

5-71/2 

30-45 

7-9 

35-45 

To  modify  cow 's  milk  so  that  it  will  approximate  nature 's  food 
we  must  dilute  it  with  water  and  add  sugar.  The  water  added 
should  be  pure  boiled  water,  and  the  sugar  added  should  be 
lactose,  the  sugar  which  is  found  in  both  cow's  and  mother's 
milk.  Maltose  may  be  used;  it  is  easily  digested,  and  is  also 
more  laxative  than  the  other  sugars.  Fat  is  very  much  needed 
in  the  child's  diet,  and  as  cow's  milk  diluted  with  water  will 
make  a  mixture  too  weak  in  fat,  we  use  top  milk.  The  top  part 
of  a  bottle  which  has  stood  several  hours  has  more  cream  and  so 
more  fat  than  the  other  part  of  the  milk.  The  upper  half  of  a 
bottle  of  milk  that  has  stood  at  least  four  hours  is  called  7  per 
cent  milk.  There  are  thirty-two  ounces  to  a  quart.  Seven  per 
cent  milk  is  the  upper  sixteen  ounces  of  a  quart  bottle.  The 
milk  may  be  dipped  out  with  a  small  dipper  or  syphon,  several 
varieties  of  each  of  which  are  on  the  market. 
From  birth  to  six  months.     Dr.  Holt  formulas  7  per  cent  milk. 


I. 

II. 

III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX. 

7  per  cent  milki 

Milk  sugars 

Lime  water^ 

Boiled  water 

2    (oz.) 

1 

1 

17 

3 

1 

1 

16 

4 

1 

1 

15 

6 
1  1-0 
1  1-5 
17 

9 
1  1-2 
1  1-3 
19 

10 
11-2 
1  1-2 

18 

16 
1  1-2 
2 
22 

18* 

1  1-2 

2 

20 

20 
1  1-2 
2 
18 

Amount  fed 

10-15 

15-30 

20-30 

25-35 

25-35 

2&-40 

30-40 

30-45 

30-45 

^The  whole  upper  half  of  the  bottle  must  be  thoroughly  mixed,  then 
the  required  number  of  ounces  taken  out. 

^Three  level  tablespoons  may  be  calculated  as  1  oz.  sugar. 

^Lime  Water.  Pour  two  quarts  of  boiled  water  over  one  tablespoon 
of  fresh  unslacked  lime.  Stir  until  slacked,  and  let  stand  until  clear. 
Drain  carefully  from  sediment. 

*When  more  than  16  ounces  of  milk  are  needed,  two  quart  bottles  must 
be  used. 


Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 


These  formulas  vary.  Some  infants  with  strong  digestions  can 
increase  the  strength  of  the  formula  much  more  rapidly  than  a 
child  with  weak  digestion. 

From  six  to  twelve  months.     Dr.  Holt  formulas  7  per  cent  milk. 


I. 

II. 

III. 

Top  milk 

(upper  20)  22  oz. 
1-2 
2 
16 

(upper  24)  24  oz. 
1 
2 
6 
8 

Whole  milk  26  oz. 

Milk  sugar 

1 

Lime  water 

Boiled  water 

2 

Barley  gruel 

12 

Amount  fed 

35-45 

35-45 

35-45 

It  must  always  be  remembered  that  a  baby  who  has  had  only 
breast  milk  and  who  is  given  cow's  milk  for  the  first  time  must 
be  given  a  weaker  formula  than  a  child  of  the  same  age  who  has 
always  been  artificially  fed. 

Signs  of  Proper  N ourisliment . — The  best  signs  that  the  food  is 
satisfactory  and  that  the  baby  is  thriving  is  a  gradual  and  steady 
increase  in  weight.  During  the  first  year  a  record  of  the  weight 
is  most  valuable.  The  child  should  be  weighed  every  week  dur- 
ing the  first  six  months  and  at  least  once  in  two  weeks  during  the 
next  six  months.  There  is  seldom  a  gain  during  the  first  week 
or  two  of  artificial  feeding,  but  after  this  a  healthy  child  will 
gain  from  four  to  six  ounces  a  week  up  to  about  the  sixth  month. 
The  average  weight  at  birth  is  seven  to  seven  and  a  half  pounds. 
This  weight  is  doubled  at  six  months,  at  nine  months  it  weighs 
seventeen  to  eighteen  pounds,  and  at  the  end  of  a  year  it  should 
have  trebled  its  weight.  During  the  first  few  weeks  of  artificial 
feeding,  if  the  infant  does  not  lose  in  weight,  or  there  is  a  slight 
increase ;  if  it  sleeps  well  and  does  not  suffer  from  colic  or  other 
signs  of  indigestion,  you  may  be  satisfied  that  the  formula  is 
adapted  to  its  needs. 

The  nursing  infant  that  is  properly  nourished  will  sleep  quietly 
several  hours  after  nursing,  will  be  good  natured  when  awake, 
will  show  no  signs  of  iitdigestion,  and  will  gain  steadily.  When 
the  milk  is  scanty  or  no  longer  satisfies  the  child,  he  will  cease 
to  gain,  will  be  cross  and  restless,  and  will  nurse  for  a  long  time 
in  his  efforts  to  satisfy  his  hunger. 


Suggestions  for  Infant  Feeding  7 

Additions  of  Other  Foods. — The  time  at  which  addition  of 
other  foods  should  be  made  to  the  diet  varies.  If  the  breast- 
fed infant  shows  all  signs  of  thriving  they  need  not  be  added 
until  the  tenth  or  eleventh  month,  but  by  the  end  of  a  year  the 
infant  should  not  depend  solely  upon  mother's  milk,  for  it  no 
longer  is  suitable  to  the  needs  of  this  growing  organism.  To 
the  child  who  is  artificially  fed  additions  are  made  much  earlier, 
often  the  fifth  or  sixth  month. 

Such  foods  should  be  used  as  cereal  gruels  made  of  barley, 
wheat  or  oat  flour,  four  tablespoons  to  a  quart  (if  the  whole 
grain  is  used  the  cereal  should  be  thoroughly  cooked  four  to 
six  hours  and  carefully  strained),  and  orange  juice.  Beef 
juice  may  be  given  to  infants  when  they  are  anaemic,  at  ten 
months,  but  it  is  a  stimulant  and  is  unnecessary  for  the  normal 
child.     It  is  far  better  not  to  use  it. 

CARE    OF    THE    MOTHER. 

The  care  of  the  child  should  not  be  deferred  until  the  time 
of  its  birth,  for  the  right  care  of  the  mother  during  the  period 
preceding  the  birth  of  her  child  is  essential  if  the  infant  is  to 
enter  the  world  fully  equipped  for  life. 

Modern  science  has  dispelled  most  of  our  fears  about  prenatal 
influences,  but  it  has  left  us  more  firmly  convinced  than  ever 
that  the  proper  nutrition  of  the  mother  is  essential,  for  the 
developing  organism  of  the  chilc^  is  dependent  upon  the  blood 
stream  of  the  mother  for  its  elements  of  growth. 

As  far  as  possible  the  mother  should  lead  a  normal  life, 
taking  plenty  of  exercise  and  living  out  in  the  fresh  air.  She 
should  be  as  free  from  care  as  possible,  and  should  have  plenty 
of  sleep  and  plenty  of  nourishing  food.  All  food  whims  and 
fancies  should  be  discouraged.  The  diet  should  be  simple  and 
easily  digested,  yet  should  amply  supply  her  needs.  By  thus 
keeping  the  mother's  system  in  a  healthy  condition  she  can 
furnish  the  needed  elements  of  growth  to  her  developing  child. 

The  Nursing  Mother. — The  proper  care  of  the  nursing  mother 
is  also  essential  in  the  proper  care  and  feeding  of  the  infant. 
The  nursing  mother  should  have  a  simple  diet.  In  addition  to 
her  regular  meals,  cocoa,  milk,  or  gruels  may  be  taken.  She 
should  avoid  rich  foods  and  very  acid  fruits.     She  should  have 


8  Bulletin  of  the  Vnive^^sity  of  Texas 

plenty  of  sleep  and  good  fresh  air,  with  suitable  outdoor  exer- 
cise, and  should  be  free  as  far  as  possible  from  care  or  anxiety ; 
for  the  condition  of  the  mother  materially  affects  the  condition 
of  the  milk. 

Tlie  Care  of  the  Milk'. — Cow 's  milk  at  best  is  a  very  different 
thing  from  mother's  milk,  so  great  care  should  be  taken  in  its 
choice  and  handling.  Summer  diarrhoea  is  caused  by  bacteria 
present  in  milk.  As  these  bacteria  develop  more  rapidly  in 
warm  milk,  we  have  far  more  digestive  trouble  among  infants 
in  summer.  Clean  milk  is  the  only  safeguard.  Dirty  milk 
means  disease,  so  during  the  hot  summer  months  the  death  rate 
for  infants  soars  way  up.  The  milk  from  a  herd  is  better  than 
from  one  cow,  for  the  composition  of  the  milk  will  be  more 
constant.  The  supply  should  come  from  a  clean  dairy  whose 
herd  has  been  inspected,  and  which  is  careful  in  the  handling 
and  cooling  of  the  milk.  The  milk  should  also  be  well  taken 
care  of  in  the  home,  and  always  cool. 

Pasteurization. — Authorities  differ  as  to  the  advisability  of 
pasteurizing  milk,  but  if  for  any  reason  a  satisfactory  supply 
is  not  available,  pasteurization  is  a  safeguard,  and  should  al- 
ways be  done  in  case  of  an  epidemic  of  any  kind,  or  when  you 
have  any  suspicion  of  the  cleanliness  of  your  milk. 

Directions  for  Pasteurization. — A  Freeman  pasteurizer  is  ex- 
cellent, but  a  home-made  pasteurizer  can  be  made  out  of  a 
bucket  with  a  fitted  cover  and  a  rack  on  which  to  set  the 
bottles.  It  is  best  to  have  a  hole  in  the  cover  fitted  with  a 
cork  through  which  you  can  pass  a  thermometer  by  which  to 
regulate  the  temperature  of  heating.  The  bottles  are  placed  in 
water  up  to  the  level  of  the  milk,  and  the  water  heated  to  a 
temperature  of  165  degrees  F.  The  pail  is  removed  from  the 
heat,  covered,  and  allowed  to  stand  for  one-half  hour.  The 
milk  is  then  quickly  cooled  and  kept  cool,  for  warm  milk  is  a 
splendid  medium  for  the  growth  of  bacteria. 

Care  of  Bottles. — It  is  very  important  that  the  bottles  and  nip- 
ples, as  well  as  the  milk,  should  be  most  carefully  cared  for. 
The  bottles  should  be  rinsed  with  cold  water  as  soon  as  emptied. 
Before  using  them  they  should  be  carefully  washed  and  placed 
in  boiling  water  for  twenty  minutes.  The  best  bottle  to  use  is  a 
graduated  eight-ounce  bottle  with  no  corners  and  a  mouth  wide 


Suggestions  for  Infant  Feeding  9 

enough  so  that  it  may  be  easily  cleaned.  The  nipples  should 
be  chosen  so  that  the  hole  is  just  large  enough  for  the  milk  to 
flow  drop  by  drop.  New  nipples  should  be  boiled  for  ^ye 
minutes,  but  this  is  unnecessary  every  day.  They  should  be 
carefully  rinsed  in  cold  water  after  each  using,  and  then  soaked 
in  water  containing  a  little  borax  or  boracic  acid.  Once  a  day 
they  should  be  turned  inside  out  and  carefully  washed.     The 


Home-made  Pasteurizer. 

milk  for  the  whole  day's  feeding  should  be  made  up  at  once, 
carefully  bottled,  and  stoppered  with  sterile  cotton,  and  kept 
cold  in  the  ice  box.  When  time  for  the  feedings  the  milk  must 
be  warmed  by  placing  the  bottle  in  warm  water  and  carefully 
heating  to  about  98  degrees  F. 

PROPRIETARY   FOODS. 


There  are  a  great  many  infant  foods  on  the  market.  These 
foods  are  of  various  kinds.  Some  of  them  are  predigested 
foods,  some  are  milk  foods,  and  some  are  cereal  foods.  None 
of  them  are  a  satisfactory  substitute  for  mother's  milk,  nor  are 
they  as  good  as  modified  cow's  milk.  Their  best  use  is  as  addi- 
tions to  modified  milk,  but  they  should  never  be  used  in  its 
place  unless  prescribed  for  a  special  case  by  a  physician. 


10  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Texas 

Food  for  Children  Over  a  Year  Old. — Too  often,  as  soon  as 
the  baby  has  been  weaned  or  has  given  up  its  bottle,  it  is 
brought  to  the  table  and  fed  the  same  food  that  the  grown  up 
members  of  the  family  eat.  This  is  not  right,  for  we  must 
remember  that  the  young  child  is  a  delicate  organism,  and  that 
its  digestive  system  can  easily  be  upset.  We  hear  much  about 
the  relation  between  mental  and  physical  growth.  If  we  ex- 
pect our  child  to  develop  as  he  should,  mentally  and  physically, 
we  must  see  that  he  is  properly  nourished,  for  we  feel  that  his 
whole  future  welfare  depends  upon  the  proper  feeding  during 
his  early  years.  During  this  period  his  food  habits  are  being 
established,  and  it  is  essential  that  the  child  learn  to  eat  a 
variety  of  foods,  for  the  development  of  a  rational  appetite  is 
a  very  necessary  part  of  the  training  of  a  child.  Often  it 
takes  time  and  care,  but  it  is  worth  our  best  efforts  to  see  that 
the  child  has  all  that  it  needs  to  develop  into  a  strong,  healthy 
adult.  The  feeding  of  the  child  must  be  a  gradual  adjustment 
to  new  foods. 

The  first  feeding  period  is  from  the  ninth  to  the  fifteenth 
months.  During  this  period  the  child  should  gradually  become 
accustomed  to  the  following  foods: 

Milk. 

Cereals  (well  cooked  and  strained). 

Orange  juice. 

Egg  yolk. 

Zwieback  or  dry  toasted  bread. 

The  next  period  is  from  fifteen  months  to  two  years.  The 
feeding  continues  as  in  the  first  period.  We  may  introduce 
some  variety  in  the  cereal  and  the  fruit  juice;  also,  a  vege- 
table, cooked  and  strained.  Spinach  is  a  particularly  valuable 
one  to  commence  with.  All  additions  should  be  given  in  small 
quantities  until  the  child's  digestive,  organs  have  accustomed 
themselves  to  the  new  food. 

The  next  period  is  from  two  to  four  years.  Here  our  menu 
will   consist   of: 

Milk  (1  quart).  This  may  be  taken  as  a  beverage  or  used 
in  combination  with  cerea^^s  or  in  simple  desserts. 


Suggestions  for  Infant  Feeding  11 

Cereals  (unstrained). 

Fruits  (cooked  and  mashed). 

Eggs. 

Stale  bread. 

Vegetables  cooked  and  strained,  i.  e. : 
Spinach. 
Onions. 
Asparagus. 
Potatoes. 
Carrots. 
Peas. 

Simple  desserts,  as: 
Custards. 
Junkets. 
Gelatine. 
"Whips. 
Cereal  puddings. 

The  next  period,  four  to  seven  years,  will  include  the  first 
years  of  school,  and  will  involve  other  problems,  such  as  proper 
school  lunches.  It  is  essential  that  we  remember  that  the 
entire  school  age  is  a  period  of  growth,  that  the  child  is  con- 
stantly facing  new  situations  which  demand  nervous  and  mus- 
cular energy,  and  that  careful  feeding  is  essential  to  his  health- 
ful, normal  development. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

The  Care  and  Feeding  of  Children,  L.  Emmet  Holt. 

Theory  and  Practice  of  Infant  Feeding,  Chapin. 

How  to  Feed  Children,  Louise  Hogan. 

Short  Talks  to  Young  Mothers,  C.  G.  Kerley. 

Human  Nutrition  (Parts  I  and  II),  Flora  Rose. 

Care  and  Feeding  of  Children  (Parts  I  and  II),  Flora  Rose. 

The  Feeding  of  Young  Children  (Teachers'  College  Bulle- 
tin), M.  S.  Rose. 

Food  for  Children  (University  of  Texas  Bulletin),  Jessie  P. 
Rich. 

Diseases  of  Infancy  and  Childhood,  L.  Emmet  Holt. 

The  Prospective  Mother,  Slemonds. 


i 


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WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  50  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
°AV  AND  iR^b  ON  THE  ---^ 
OVERDUE. 


LD21-10m-5,'43  (6061s) 


GAYLAMOUNT 

PAMPHLET  BINDER 


Manvfaclured  by 

GAYLORD  BROS.  Inc. 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Stockton,  Calif. 


ivi3614no 


BlOLOOr 

LIBRARY 


J^: 


